The present invention is directed generally to a construction vehicle such as a skid steer vehicle and, more particularly, to an operator cab for a skid steer vehicle and having an inwardly folding access door.
Early skid steer vehicles, such as a skid loader, were designed to have an operator cab with a front opening that enabled the operator to easily enter and exit the operator cab through the front opening as well as communicate with ground workers during loading, moving, excavating or other operations. Some skid steer vehicles are equipped with a door that swings away from the front opening to selectively open and close the front opening. Operator cabs with front doors provide some advantages over conventional open operator cabs, including climate control, reduction of dirt and debris into the operator cab, and preventing unintended operator contact with working components of the vehicle, such as the lift arms.
One type of door configuration is the aforementioned swing-away door. In this configuration, the door is hinged or otherwise connected to an upright member of the operator cab and is free to swing away from the opening when an operator needs to enter or exit the operator cab. Similarly, when an operator positioned in the operator cab needs to communicate with a ground worker, the operator must either temporarily open the door or communicate through a side access window formed in the operator cab frame. In addition, if the operator wants to operate the skid steer vehicle with the door secured open, the operator must latch the door to the operator cab, which exposes the door to damage should the latch fail or if an object hits the door. Moreover, it may be necessary to exit the operator cab to latch the door in the open position.
Another type of door configuration commonly used with the operator cabs of skid steer vehicles is a roll-up door. Roll-up doors are designed to roll along a track carried within the interior of the operator cab. One advantage of roll-up doors over conventional swing away doors is that the door can be secured within the operator cab when the skid steer vehicle is being operated with the door in the open position. Nonetheless, to comply with applicable standards, roll-up doors require a sacrifice on the height of the operator cab or the amount of head room permitted in the operator cab. Moreover, the weight of roll-up door is such that if the latch that locks the door in the open position fails, the door will roll down and close the opening, which may injure the operator or damage the door itself.
The present invention is directed to an operator cab for a skid steer vehicle having an inwardly folding front access door. The door includes an upper panel and a lower panel connected to another at a joint that allows the lower panel to fold under the upper panel as the door is retracted into the operator cab. In a fully open position, the door is latched adjacent the undersurface of the upper panel of the operator cab. When the door is in the fully closed position, a separate latch locks the door within the front opening of the operator cab. An off-centered biasing member, such as a gas-assist cylinder, assists in holding the door closed when the door is in the closed position but also assists in holding the door open when the door in the open position.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an operator cab for a skid steer vehicle with a front access door that can be locked in an open position with a minimal reduction in the headroom available within the operator cab.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an operator cab for skid steer vehicle having a door that can be locked in the open position thereby allowing the skid steer vehicle to be operated even when the door is open.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a door for the operator cab of a skid steer vehicle that can be stowed or locked in a retracted and closed position within the operator cab when desired.
Therefore, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an operator cab for a skid steer vehicle is disclosed. The operator cab includes a cab frame that is positioned on a chassis of the skid steer vehicle. The cab frame has several frame members that collectively define an interior. The operator cab includes a front panel that is operable to selectively open and close the opening. The front panel folds inwardly at least partially into the interior of the cab frame to permit ingress to and egress from the interior.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a skid steer vehicle includes a chassis and an operator cab mounted to the chassis. The operator cab defines a work space for an operator controlling operation of the skid steer vehicle. An access door is coupled to the frame and configured to retract into the work space. An over-center biasing member biases the access door in a retracted position and the bias of the biasing member must be overcome to secure the access door in either a closed position or an open position.
According to another aspect, the present invention includes an operator cab for a skid steer vehicle. The operator cab is comprised of a cab frame defining a cockpit and having an opening into the cockpit. A door is coupled to the frame and is operable to selectively open and close the opening. The door includes a first door member and a second door member that fold inwardly into the cockpit to permit ingress to or egress from the cockpit.
Various other features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings.